Home Bio-Digesters: How to Convert Waste Into Cooking Fuel

What Are Bio-Digesters Used For? 

Natural gas is one of the most abundantly used fossil fuels for home energy. Almost 47 percent of households in the United States use natural gas for their home heating needs. Similarly, more than one-third of all homeowners use natural gas ranges and stoves for their cooking needs. In terms of total electricity production, of the 4.12 trillion kWh of electricity generated by utility companies in the United States, 1.58 trillion of those kWh came from burning natural gas.

Although natural gas is a "cleaner" fossil fuel than coal or oil, it still contributes to an enormous amount of carbon emissions that are driving global climate change. Also, natural gas supplies are getting increasingly harder to locate and extract. Many fossil fuel companies are now investing in invasive fracking operations. These operations have led to enormous environmental damage. They have also contaminated valuable groundwater resources upon which millions of Americans depend.

Limiting our use of natural gas, then, is one way to reduce the carbon footprint of our homes. While homeowners could opt for an all-electric home, natural gas for cooking does offer savings on your monthly energy bill. Depending on the electricity prices in your state or region, natural gas cooktops and ranges might be up to 30 percent cheaper than electric cooking options. 

Many professional chefs recommend using natural gas for cooking as food tends to cook faster while also allowing for more control over the cooking process. Instead of relying on municipal-supplied gas that required fracking for extraction, homeowners can use their kitchen scraps to create gas for their cooking needs.

What Are Bio-Digesters? 

Biogas is mainly a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide that is produced naturally during the decomposition of organic matter. Many homeowners might consider carbon dioxide and methane to be the evil culprits of global warming. However, it is crucial to understand that these gasses are released naturally during the chemical processes that govern the natural world. Our industrial society's continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels is the real culprit, as this has disrupted the delicate balance of gasses in our atmosphere.

Biogas is a natural by-product of the process of anaerobic bacteria fermenting the biodegradable, organic matter into methane and carbon dioxide. Even if you are a religious backyard composter, your banana and potato peels will undoubtedly release some carbon dioxide and methane as they decompose. Bio-digesters allow homeowners to take advantage of this gas for their cooking needs. For homeowners who raise backyard chickens or other livestock, animal waste can also be safely added to the digester to increase the amount of gas produced.

How Do Bio-Digesters Work? 

As we mentioned above, home bio-digesters are designed to capture the naturally occurring methane and carbon dioxide gasses from organic matter decomposition. This gas can then be used for home cooking needs. Large scale production of biogas might eventually be able to replace upwards of 5 percent of the natural gas used by municipal power systems. In contrast, home bio-digesters offer more immediate and tangible benefits for homeowners interested in reducing their carbon footprint.

Home bio-digesters are made up of several parts or processes. These include a collection space or tank, an anaerobic digester, a separate container to drain or collect the slurry, and a gas connection that will receive the gas and send it to your kitchen. In the simplest of designs, kitchen scraps or farm animal waste can be placed in a sealed 55-gallon plastic barrel. A set of tubing allows the gas to be transferred to a tube from a car tire. The tube inflates as gas accumulates and can then be sent to a burner on a stove.